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Plans are in the works to turn an area off Loop 12 in South Dallas into a brand new, state of the art golf course. (Published Friday, Nov 30, 2012)

Updated at 10:56 PM CST on Sunday, Dec 2, 2012

The city of Dallas wants a mulligan on an old South Dallas landfill.

Mayor Mike Rawlings officially announced at a press conference Friday morning a plan to turn a 400-acre plot of land off of Loop 12 into a state-of-the-art golf facility.

Turning Garbage into a Pristine Golf Course in Dallas

Plans are in the works to turn an area off Loop 12 in South Dallas into a brand new, state of the art golf course. (Published Friday, Nov 30, 2012)

City Manager Mary Suhm said the project could cost as much as $60 million. The City Council still has to vote to approve a maximum of $12 million to clean up and build infrastructure on the land.

Councilman Dwaine Caraway said he considers the project an investment in South Dallas -- and a way for the city to bring big sporting events to the city instead of the suburbs.

"Remember, we lost the Cowboys, but that was a different City Council, and we will not lose anything that we compete for," he said. "We're going to roll up our sleeves and do one heck of a job to make sure that we bring all of the prizes to our city."

Rawlings was surrounded by AT&T executive Ron Spears and Southern Methodist University President Gerald Turner when he made the announcement.

AT&T has pledged $2.5 million to the project, which includes an 18-hole championship course, a nine-hole short course, a training facility and walking trails.

SMU would use the facility as its practice course for their student athletes.

Dallas native Lee Trevino, a World Golf Hall of Famer, said the project could be huge for the city. The facility could be the Cowboys Stadium of PGA golf, he said.

"Jerry Jones did it just up the street, you know," he said. "We could have had it right here. I could see it right here, if we put it over here. Everybody talks about it. When you talk about football stadiums, they say, 'Oh, you should see that Dallas stadium. It's unbelievable.' That's what we want to do here."

The council will vote on early stages of funding for the project soon.